Residents and commuters have been grinding their teeth at the prospect of more gridlock since the Department of Defense began constructing its Washington Headquarters Service building last year on the citys West End.

In hopes of putting a stranglehold on the eventual onslaught of motorists, Rep. Jim Moran (D-8) included language in the Defense Authorization bill today that would limit the number of parking spaces available at the facility.

Our goal is to force the Army to put an effective transportation solution in place before the majority of workers are allowed in the building, Moran said. Under the current plan, the traffic situation will be intolerable.

According to the language, the cap could be lifted if Congress approves a traffic management plan to mitigate congestion at nearby intersections and if the Department of Defense constructs access roads and ramps to alleviate congestion.